KIRKUS REVIEW

A teenage orphan living in misery
suddenly discovers his magical gifts while being thrust into an epic battle
between good and evil…sound familiar?

In lonely Crosscaper Orphanage, the
westernmost building in Ireland, 13-year-old Denizen Hardwick retreats into a
world of fantasy books, believing that he is thoroughly unremarkable. Summoned
by a mysterious aunt, the white lad quickly discovers an ancient war being
waged by Knights against nefarious shadow creatures from another world, a war
humans must not know exists. Denizen is given a choice: join his aunt’s order
of Knights or return to life at the orphanage. The seams of the timeless
ordinary-turned-extraordinary–schoolboy narrative poke through in Rudden’s
debut, which alternates perspectives between chosen-one Denizen and his best
friend, trapped in the orphanage as the shadow creatures lay siege. The best
fantasy gradually constructs the rules of its magical world for the
protagonists, but Rudden’s readers barely have time to bond with “ordinary”
Denizen before he is off on adventures. As a result, he and the Knights never
achieve the three-dimensionality necessary for readers to emotionally invest.
While the book’s use of magic, which takes a physical toll on the body of the
wielder, is one of its finer elements, ungainly metaphors occasionally distract
from the narrative.

The intriguing premise is undercut
by hasty worldbuilding but shows promise nonetheless; perhaps the kinks will be
worked out in Volume 2. (Fantasy. 10-15)

Be the first to discover new talent!
Each week, our editors select the one author and one book they believe to be most worthy of your attention and highlight them in our Pro Connect email alert.
Sign up here to receive your FREE alerts.